Stanford's Felicia Lee wins Honda Award as college swimmer of year

STANFORD -- Stanford senior Felicia Lee was named the Honda Sports Award winner Thursday as college swimmer of the year, the school announced.

Lee, who led Stanford to a surprise second at the NCAA championships last month, becomes the ninth Cardinal swimmer to win the award since its inception in 1976-77.

"It has been a special year for Stanford swimming and diving and it's important to recognize that it's not really just an award for me; it's for my coaches, my teammates, my parents, and everyone who has helped me along the way to get here," Lee said in a statement.

Lee now is a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the 2014 Honda Cup.

Lee finished ahead of a prestigious group of finalists that included Stanford's Pac-12 swimmer of the year Maya DiRado and Olympians Missy Franklin (Cal), Breeja Larson (Texas A&M) and Brittany MacLean (Georgia).

It is the fourth time in six years that a Stanford or Cal swimmer has won the award.

Lee, of Towson, Md., earned seven All-American honors at the 2014 NCAA championships while winning five titles. She won the 100-yard butterfly and helped four relay teams finish first -- the 200 and 400 freestyles and the 200 and 400 individual medleys. Stanford set a U.S. record in the 400 medley.

"What she did extends beyond the NCAA championships," Cardinal coach Greg Meehan said. "She was tremendous for us from the first meet of the season through the last."